Does bupropion help with anxiety? Because my doctor prescribed this to me but it's a depressant?

I need to know if it will really help me with my anxiety, I'm not depressed my anxiety is just over the roof all the time & I need to know if I should actually take this drug. I need to know if it will help me & get rid of my anxiety. I told my doctor I smoke cigarettes and i found out this drug helps take away cravings so I feel like my doctor prescribed this drug to me because of me smoking... I don't know what to do, I'm 17 years young and just trying to get better and relieve my anxiety issues. Please help if possible. :)

Responses (3)

IN

Inactive4 Jun 2016

Bupropion is often prescribed to help someone quit smoking. It helps, but you still have to be committed to quitting. The med won't do it all for you. And quitting smoking causes a lot of anxiety initially for many people. You might need an anti anxiety med to go along with the bupropion in the beginning. Then for many people it dissipates after a few weeks. And some people don't get anxious with it at all. So, it depends... From what you wrote in your post, you might need an anti- anxiety medication to be able to get it under control. Bupropion is not the first line of defense for anxiety, it is treated much more effectively with benzodiazapenes or buspar. Ask your doctor about it. He will probably add another med to address both problems. Bupropion and buspar have been a very effective combination for me. Good luck.

Hi, Asvpxemma! Relax, your doctor knows what she/he is doing. Many antidepressants ~ especially Celexa, Lexapro, Effexor, and Wellbutrin (bupropion) ~ are frequently prescribed off-label because of their anecdotal ability to treat all sorts of anxiety and panic disorders. In fact, only about 55% of prescriptions written for antidepressants are written for depression.One thing you should be aware of though as you start your treatment is that you may feel an increase in your anxiety level for the first few days to a week or so. This is a normal side effect and usually resolves on it's own.If you do end up having to take benzodiapezines to get you through be VERY careful. They are extremely easy to abuse and are highly addictive. Buspar would be a much better and safer choice.Best wishes and I hope this works well for you. Wildcat

I was prescribed bupropion for depression and it was terrible!! It did not!! help me with my depression or my smoking or anxiety. It made me feel like I was losing my mind. I now take 90mg of doxepin. 3 10mg doses 3x a day. morning noon and before sleep. it has helped me without bad side effects. I also take walks daily. when i have anxiety. and I go to therepy for cognitive behavior. Going to church also helps me. I will pray for you DAILY. Suffering with anxiety is the worst thing!! I have ever had to deal with in my life

Hi donna. First, I would like to say that there are more than one version of bupropion, as in immediate release, slow release (12hr) and extended release (24hr) I tried several of them. Some of them made me very fatigued, one made me feel like crying too much. One of them made me crave carbs, and easily could have caused me to gain weight if I continued on it any longer.I got very irritable, dizzy, constipated, more anxious, even caused insomnia, etc. from the different generics of wellbutrin. A couple of them made me feel like I was going to go crazy! There are many out there, made by Teva, Activis, used to be one by Watson (which was bought out by Activis, I think?) Anchen, Global, and one made by Mylan, to name a few.

According to the manufacturers and many doctors and pharmacists,the ingredients of all the generic ones should be equal to the brand name Wellbutrin. I tried them all before I found one that worked for me with very few side effects. Some people are also bothered by the different fillers that are used in manufacturing these bupropion generics.On top of all that, the time-release is different from each other of the generics, which is what causes a lot of the unpleasant side effects. Some of them dump a big dose of it all at once in the system shortly after taking them, instead of releasing it slowly over either a 12hr or 24hr interval.And whether you are taking 150mg or 300mg, of course for many people, the higher dose can make the side effects worse, while other people finally find relief when the doctor increases the current dose. But, I read a lot about the different generics, and found that many people were experiencing intense unwanted side effects. The generic version of wellbutrin "SR" made by Mylan pharmaceuticals is the one I can recommend, as I went through much trial and error to find it.It depends on how it affects your body metabolism, since we are all different, as to the effects you will get, good or bad, mild or strong, till you find the one that is suitable to your body chemistry. You also didn't say how long you stayed on it. I go to church regularly, have been to therapy in the past, walk and exercise and take nutritional supplements. When that isn't enough, the medications to treat anxiety/depression have been a godsend for many folks, and the meds. help many people to lead a relatively normal life.As to the smoking, the pill only HELPS to quit smoking. You also have to make a commitment mentally that you will overcome the nicotine cravings.Just taking a pill alone won't "make you quit". Believe me, been there, done that!!!

IN

Inactive5 Jun 2016

Hi donna. First, I would like to say that there are more than one version of bupropion, as in immediate release, slow release (12hr) and extended release (24hr) I tried several of them. Some of them made me very fatigued, one made me feel like crying too much. One of them made me crave carbs, and easily could have caused me to gain weight if I continued on it any longer.I got very irritable, dizzy, constipated, more anxious, even caused insomnia, etc. from the different generics of wellbutrin. A couple of them made me feel like I was going to go crazy! There are many out there, made by Teva, Activis, used to be one by Watson (which was bought out by Activis, I think?) Anchen, Global, and one made by Mylan, to name a few.

According to the manufacturers and many doctors and pharmacists,the ingredients of all the generic ones should be equal to the brand name Wellbutrin. I tried them all before I found one that worked for me with very few side effects. Some people are also bothered by the different fillers that are used in manufacturing these bupropion generics.On top of all that, the time-release is different from each other of the generics, which is what causes a lot of the unpleasant side effects. Some of them dump a big dose of it all at once in the system shortly after taking them, instead of releasing it slowly over either a 12hr or 24hr interval.And whether you are taking 150mg or 300mg, of course for many people, the higher dose can make the side effects worse, while other people finally find relief when the doctor increases the current dose. But, I read a lot about the different generics, and found that many people were experiencing intense unwanted side effects. The generic version of wellbutrin "SR" made by Mylan pharmaceuticals is the one I can recommend, as I went through much trial and error to find it.It depends on how it affects your body metabolism, since we are all different, as to the effects you will get, good or bad, mild or strong, till you find the one that is suitable to your body chemistry. You also didn't say how long you stayed on it. I go to church regularly, have been to therapy in the past, walk and exercise and take nutritional supplements. When that isn't enough, the medications to treat anxiety/depression have been a godsend for many folks, and the meds. help many people to lead a relatively normal life.As to the smoking, the pill only HELPS to quit smoking. You also have to make a commitment mentally that you will overcome the nicotine cravings.Just taking a pill alone won't "make you quit". Believe me, been there, done that!!!